Banana Pudding

I saw this banana pudding recipe on Facebook and it reminded me of how I use to make banana pudding to take to potluck events...

 

I would purchase a gallon can of premade vanilla pudding at the store...brought it home and dumped out in a big bowl...sliced up a half dozen bananas into the pudding and stirred...

 

then I took the container I was going to take to the potluck and placed vanilla wafers in the bottom and poured a little pudding on top to hold them in place...

 

then I placed rows of vanilla wafers all around the sides of the bowl adding more pudding to hold each layer...when all the pudding was in the container I made a "flower" design on top with more vanilla wafers.

 

Every time I took this everyone raved about what good banana pudding it was (and wanted the recipe) and it was always gone first. For those of you would prefer something more traditional...here is a recipe from Paula Deen. 

source FB

Not Yo Mama's Banana Pudding
Recipe from Paula Deen

2 bags Pepperidge Farm Chessmen Cookies OR 2 bags Vanilla Wafers
6 to 8 bananas, sliced
2 cups milk
1 (5 oz.) box French Vanilla pudding
1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese
1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
1 (12 oz.) container frozen whipped topping thawed, or equal amount sweetened whipped cream

Directions
Line the bottom of a 13x9 inch dish with 1 bag of cookies and layer bananas on top.
In a bowl, combine the milk and pudding mix and blend well using a handheld electric mixer.
Using another bowl, combine the cream cheese and condensed milk together and mix until smooth.
Fold the whipped topping into the cream cheese mixture.
Add the cream cheese mixture to the pudding mixture and stir until well blended.
Pour the mixture over the cookies and bananas and cover with the remaining cookies.
Refrigerate until ready to serve!